News

Jan 09, 2026

Government and ICO agree memorandum of understanding in bid to shore-up data protection approach

The Government and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have signed a memorandum of understanding, setting “clear expectations” on data protection amid the Government ambitions to use technology to transform public services.

Jan 09, 2026

Government falling short on environmental targets while regulator grapple with constraints of regulatory and legislative framework, spending watchdog warns

The Government is on course to meet fewer than a quarter of its environmental targets, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report that has raised concerns about outdated IT systems, a "reactive" regulatory approach, and a lack of strategic direction at Defra.

Jan 09, 2026

Government to introduce inspection of multi-academy trusts through amendment to Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The Department for Education has this week announced plans to bring multi academy trusts into the inspection system, through an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Jan 09, 2026

Councils see “massive” jump in pothole claims, but vast majority fail, new data shows

Pothole compensation claims submitted to 177 local authorities have risen by 91% in just three years, from 27,731 in 2021 to 53,015 in 2024, new data has revealed.

Jan 08, 2026

Government consults on transferring taxi and PHV licensing to local transport authorities in England

The Government has announced plans to transfer the responsibility for taxi and PHV licensing from district councils and metropolitan councils to Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) in England as part of an effort to curb 'out-of-area' working.

Jan 08, 2026

Councils to be given powers to keep cars from parking on pavements

Councils will be given the power to crack down on problem pavement parking in order to improve accessibility for wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people, the Government has announced.

Jan 08, 2026

Government defends use of powers to cancel local elections

The Government has defended its use of the power to cancel local elections, arguing that the powers in this area are set out in legislation made by Parliament and “used only with strong justification”.

Jan 08, 2026

Law firm report urges council to focus on data and reporting as it has “some way to go” following C4 grading of housing services

Newham Council has made improvements but still has “some way to go” to fix its housing service after its C4 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing in October 2024, an investigation by law firm Capsticks has concluded.

Jan 07, 2026

NHS Shared Business Services to hold preliminary market engagement for £240m framework agreement

NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has issued a preliminary market engagement notice for a “fit-for-the-future” legal services framework agreement, worth an estimated £240m, for use by the NHS and the wider public sector.

Jan 07, 2026

LGPS Advisory Board warns Government proposals could “cut across” fiduciary duties

Plans to give ministers powers to force LGPS funds into specific pools could “cut across” the fund’s fiduciary duties, the LGPS Advisory Board has said.

Jan 07, 2026

Mayors and councillors should have access to Local Government Pensions Scheme, LGA says

The Local Government Association (LGA) has voiced support for plans to give councillors access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), but has called for clarity in the draft regulations on which authority types are included in the changes.

Jan 07, 2026

Government to back new public services cyber security plan with £210m in funding

The Government has announced plans to "rapidly improve" cyber defences and digital resilience across government departments and the wider public sector, in an effort to tackle cyber security threats.

Jan 07, 2026

Landlord who ignored selective licensing scheme banned from operating

The First Tier Property Tribunal has banned a man from operating as a landlord or managing agent at a lettings agency for more than a year following a case brought by Durham County Council.

Jan 06, 2026

Child was habitually resident in England and Wales at one day old, High Court rules

A child who was born in England to a Romanian national and has three older siblings in the care of authorities in Austria was habitually resident in England at one day of age, the High Court has ruled.

Jan 06, 2026

Council secures £145k proceeds of crime order against man who defrauded own mother

A man who defrauded his elderly mother while she was residing in a care home has been ordered to pay £145,000 following a proceeds of crime application by a local authority shared service.

Jan 06, 2026

Reform to ‘call in’ approach to large housing developments “undermines” local democracy: District Council

Plans to require councils to inform the Government before refusing planning applications for large housing developments "undermine” local decision making and local democracy, Braintree District Council has warned.

Jan 06, 2026

Residents crowd fund judicial review over controversial Chinese embassy planning application

Local campaigners are threatening the Government with a judicial review challenge over the "flawed" planning process behind a much-anticipated decision on China's application for a 'mega embassy'.

Jan 05, 2026

Government NSIP solar farm approval facing judicial review threat

Residents are raising funds to launch a judicial review challenge against the Government's decision to approve a major solar farm in North Yorkshire.

Jan 05, 2026

Local authority was right to apply to court regarding Do Not Resuscitate notice, High Court finds

The High Court has found that a local authority was right to apply to invoke the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction to determine “whether or not the Local Authority are in agreement with the Do Not Resuscitate Notice continuing” in relation to an infant boy.

Jan 05, 2026

Borough council calls for “urgent” reforms to national housing target system

Waverley Borough Council has urged the Government to rethink its new housing targets, describing them as "unrealistic and unsustainable".

Jan 05, 2026

Council must reconsider cat fouling complaint after High Court ruling

A council decision to reject a man's complaint regarding his neighbour's cats fouling in his garden "cannot stand" and should be redetermined, the High Court has ruled.

Jan 02, 2026

High Court rejects appeal over injury sustained when climbing over perimeter fence of school playing fields

The High Court has rejected an appeal over an injury sustained by the claimant when climbing over a perimeter fence to retrieve a football, finding that the owners of the premises owed the appellant “no duty” under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957.

Jan 02, 2026

Council admits error after approving planning application from councillor under delegated powers

Somerset Council is set to reconsider a councillor-submitted planning application after mistakenly approving it under delegated powers.

Dec 29, 2025

Union says it will launch equal pay claims against five more councils after reaching £1bn in settlements

The GMB union has said it is about to launch 10,000 equal pay claims against five more local authorities.

Dec 29, 2025

Top Midlands social landlord to procure £20m legal services framework

One of the UK’s largest social landlords, Platform Housing, has launched the procurement of its next legal services framework, which is estimated to be worth £20m.

Dec 23, 2025

Communities Secretary warns councils not to adopt a four-day working week

Communities Secretary Steve Reed has reportedly said councils should not be offering “full-time pay for part-time work”, noting in a letter to local authorities this month that the Best Value Guidance is being updated by the Government.

Dec 23, 2025

Pathfinder Legal names joint chief executives following retirement of Andrew Shufflebotham

Pathfinder Legal, the shared legal service owned by Cambridgeshire County Council and Central Bedfordshire Council, has appointed joint chief executives.

Dec 23, 2025

Calls made for simplified route for social housing providers to gain access to properties for essential maintenance and safety checks

Social housing providers are “increasingly concerned” that they will attract regulatory or legal action if they fail to gain necessary access to their properties, a report has warned.

Dec 22, 2025

Pilot tackling poor quality housing expanded to further 38 local authorities in England

The Government has this month (20 December) announced the expansion of a trial to tackle poor quality housing following “successful results” in three council areas.

Dec 22, 2025

High Court orders interim relief against council as maker of impugned age assessment decision

The High Court has ordered interim relief against Derby City Council as the maker of a decision to assess an asylum seeker to be an adult and to decline to provide services pursuant to the Children Act 1989.

Dec 22, 2025

High Court rejects challenge to transfer of ownership of care homes to private provider

The High Court has rejected a legal challenge against a decision by a council to transfer the ownership of two specialist dementia care homes to a private provider.

Dec 19, 2025

Campaigners fundraise for judicial review over council “failure” to process application for nomination of activities garden centre as asset of community value

A campaign group is fundraising for a judicial review against Hillingdon Council over its failure to process an application to nominate a community hub for adults with learning disabilities as an ‘Asset of Community Value’.

Dec 18, 2025

Ombudsman sees 15% increase in number of new complaints registered for second consecutive year

During 2024-25, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman dealt with 22,010 complaints and enquiries, seeing a 15% increase in the number of new complaints registered for a second consecutive year.

Dec 18, 2025

Ministry asks 63 areas affected by local government reorganisation for views on postponing May 2026 elections

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has asked councils in England impacted by local government reorganisation for their views on postponing next year’s elections.

Dec 18, 2025

Planning and Infrastructure Bill receives Royal Assent with government promise to modernise planning committees

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has received Royal Assent today (18 December), with the Government promising to bring forward a wide range to measures “at haste to speed up housebuilding and the delivery of critical infrastructure”.

Dec 18, 2025

Employment Rights Act receives Royal Assent

The Employment Rights Act has today (18 December) received Royal Assent, with the Government saying it will bring an end to ‘fire and rehire’ and ‘fire and replace’ practices and an end to zero-hours contracts.

Dec 18, 2025

LLG calls for applications for positions of Deputy Vice-President, Regional Director for Wales and Junior National Lead

LLG (Lawyers in Local Government) is inviting applications for the positions of Deputy Vice-President, with the successful candidate set to assume the presidency of the organisation in 2028.

Dec 18, 2025

Data was copied without authorisation in recent cyber attack “with criminal intent”, London boroughs reveal

Some council data was copied and taken away by a third party without consent following a recent cyber security incident, Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea have confirmed.

Dec 18, 2025

Council prosecutes former employee for ‘polygamous working’

Barnet Council has prosecuted a former employee for ‘polygamous working’ - the practice of holding more than one full-time job simultaneously - after an investigation revealed she was working full-time for two London councils.

Dec 18, 2025

Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon) to step down as Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of GLD

Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon) has announced that after five years as Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department and 33 years’ service in a range of roles in the Government Legal Profession, she has decided to step down and “explore pastures new”.

Dec 18, 2025

Secretary of State writes to leaders and metro mayors on key changes to National Planning Policy Framework

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has written to leaders of local authorities and metro mayors in England to highlight two key proposed reforms in the Government’s consultation on an overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Dec 18, 2025

Council failed to provide child with education in statutory timescale after school exclusion, Ombudsman finds

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised East Sussex County Council after it failed to provide education in the statutory timescale after excluding a pupil, and failed to meet the section 42 duty to meet his special educational needs.

Dec 17, 2025

District and boroughs lodge complaint with monitoring officer of county over alleged "breaches" of publicity rules

The five district and borough councils in Suffolk have issued a complaint with the county council’s monitoring officer claiming it has breached the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity in the way it promoted its preferred option for local government reorganisation.

Dec 17, 2025

Social housing regulator slams borough council over “unacceptable” breadth and scale of failings

Gosport Borough Council has been hit with a C4 grade by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), making it the latest local authority to be graded at the lowest possible level.

Dec 17, 2025

Government launches consultation on latest revisions to National Planning Policy Framework

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation on “a fuller and more definitive overhaul” of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).